When Dr. Laurie Cella, assistant professor of English, announced the oral history project to her Writing Intensive First Year Seminar (WIFYS) students last fall, some of them resisted because they said it would take too much time to interview someone from the community or thought they were too shy to do it. The students who made these excuses were the ones who struggled in the class with basic writing skills and clearly did not enjoy writing. But after breaking the ice with their partners, in this case, residents at the Shook Home in Chambersburg, they became very engaged in the project and learning about life during WWII.

“Their essays were well written and engaging,” says Dr. Cella. “I think once students realized that they have an audience beyond me – that they are writing about a real person who will want to read what they’ve written, they take more care to do a good job. In the end, they were very proud of their new partnerships and their essays.”

Other students in Cella’s class immediately embraced the experience, such as Melanie Fehnel.

“This was no ordinary oral

history assignment where you ask your grandparents about their experiences during WWII or something along those lines,” writes Fehnel on her blog. “This assignment was about getting out into the community and meeting real people who work to make the Shippensburg community what it is today. It was about reaching out and learning about the people who look to be your Average Joe in the community.”

Fehnel enjoyed her service-learning experience so much that Dr. Cella suggested that she become a Community Fellow, which is a college student who completes at least 300 hours of community service in a year. After an application process and interview,

the Franklin Literacy Council selected Fehnel to help promote literacy and their program. Her volunteer work with the Literacy Council will contribute towards

her 300 hours of service this year. She created her blog, http://servicelearningroadtrip.blogspot.com/, to advocate service learning and share her experiences this year.

“I really believe that students learn so much more when they are able to put theory and criticism to practice in the real world,” says Dr. Cella. Students enjoy the experience – they see how they can make a difference and apply what they’ve learned in new experiences.”

Studies have shown that integrating course content with the real world helps students retain the information. Because of these positive outcomes of high impact and service learning experiences, many professors across multiple disciplines within the College of Arts and Sciences and the broader Shippensburg University community are encouraging and providing these opportunities for their students within their class curriculum.

Dr. Ken France, professor of psychology, offers service learning opportunities in several of his classes. For example, every semester in his two sections of Abnormal Psychology, students participate in team projects designed as problem-based service learning. Each class has a community partner, which has been either New Horizons or the STAR program. The director of these programs writes a letter to the class proposing a real-life problem that always has multiple possible solutions that require student to first get to know community members and understand some of their needs before coming up with a project proposal. Students spend the semester working towards solving the problem. At the end of the semester students present their projects to their peers. The program director visits on the last day of class to provide additional feedback.

Dr. France found that, like Dr. Cella, some of his students are initially resistant to the idea of service learning, but after they get involved in the community, they

More than 930 undergraduates are majoring in the sciences.

Applications from transfer students are up 10.6% from 849 students in 2008 to 939 students in the fall 2009.

In two separate surveys, 100% of graduates from the Human

did youKNOW?

COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCESSHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCESSHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY

Service Learning at Ship

Communications department said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the personal/career development advisement offered within the program.

The top 4 majors for first year students are: biology, psychology,

communications /journalism and computer science.

All 17 departments within the College of Arts & Sciences offer internships for credit and geography/earth science requires an internship as part of the curriculum.

[continued on page 2]

ON ACADEMIC DAY, DR. LAURIE CELLA AND STUDENTS COMPLETE A SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECT TO PROMOTE LITERACY THROUGH THE FRANKLIN COUNTY LITERACY PROGRAM.

realize the benefits of hands-on learning. One of Dr. France’s students said, “When I

first heard about going to a place where people are diagnosed with mental disorders, I have to admit I was quite intimidated about it. I didn’t know how I should act, what to talk about, or what would happen if I said something wrong. From my experiences at New Horizons I realized that they are just like you and me. They just want to have friends and be able to talk and have fun

like any other human being.”In addition to classroom opportunities

for service learning, there are many other opportunities for hands-on experiences such as during Academic Day at the beginning of the semester, working on applied research with a faculty mentor in joint undergraduate-student/faculty research for the Celebration of Student Research Conference, numerous activities provided by the Volunteer Services Office (VSO),

and the various service clubs for students on campus.

“The thing that excites me most about service learning is all the opportunities and new experiences that you can gain from it,” says Fehnel, who has participated in service learning both inside and outside her classes. “I feel that I can take a lot from the skills I learn, the people I meet, and the experiences that I gain to help me in my future career.”

2 • CAS NEWS • FALL 2010

Service Learning at SHIP continued

For the past 25 years, Shippensburg University has had the basically same general education requirements for its students. These requirements have served students well, but after re-evaluating the curriculum, the majority of Ship faculty agrees it is time for a change.

“The world’s a much different place than it was in 1985,” says Dr. Kim Long, Associate Dean of Students for the College of Arts and Sciences.

Ship’s General Education Coordinating Committee (GECC), of which Dr. Long is a member and administrative co-chair, has been working diligently to revise the general education model at Shippensburg.

Three years ago, the GECC gave the Ship faculty a survey asking about their satisfaction levels with the current general education program. Most faculty members agreed they were satisfied with individual pieces of the program, or at least they thought they were until they came to part two of the survey, which offered suggestions that differed from the current program. When presented with alternative ideas, faculty members reacted favorably.

A year later, guided by the results of the survey, Ship invited an outside consultant to campus to conduct four 1 ½ hour forums with faculty members to brainstorm ideas for a new general education program. Rather than focusing on specific course changes, the main focus was on questions such as “What should our graduates know?” and “What skills should

they have?” The GECC compiled and began the process

of developing goals and objectives for general education using the data generated from the forums. The three categories they decided upon for the restructuring are Knowledge and Understanding, Intellectual and Practical Abilities, and Attitudes and Values.

Then, a year ago, five faculty members from the GECC, including Dr. Jose Ricardo—now chair of Shippensburg’s University Curriculum Committee—attended a weeklong intensive General Education Institute sponsored by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU). At this institute, they learned about the Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) Principles of Excellence, which is one of the AACU’s projects. According to the AACU Web site, LEAP is helping “hundreds of campuses and several state systems to make far-reaching educational changes to help all their students—whatever their chosen field of study—achieve a set of essential learning outcomes fostered through liberal education.”

The GECC looks upon the LEAP Principles as a foundation for the general education program they hope to build at Ship, not as a blueprint. They consulted other organization’s principles but found them to be too prescriptive because they dictated exactly which classes every student should take. The GECC wants students at Ship to have a little more flexibility in their education.

Assessment of the current program by the GECC, various faculty members, and other outside sources such as the College of Arts and

Sciences Advisory Board, has provided insights and opinions about the new general education model. Moving forward, the GECC continues to work diligently towards fine-tuning their objectives with the goal of producing different curriculum models for Shippensburg faculty to consider. They hope to have the models complete by fall 2011 in order to have time to discuss and debate them, before ultimately voting on the new curriculum by fall 2012.

Among other features, the new models will include a focus on global issues, environmental issues, and technology. There will also be a new class required for all freshmen to help them make the transition into college coursework. In addition, there will be a new emphasis on coursework beyond the introductory level as an important part of the program.

The working title for the new general education model is University Core Program. Dr. Winston Crawley, faculty co-chair of the GECC, states, “We believe this title emphasizes the crucial and central importance of the general education curriculum as a key component of a quality university education.” Dr. Long adds, “Giving the new program a new title will also communicate to everyone that it truly is different.”

As Dr. Cynthia Botteron, chair of the GECC Curriculum Subcommittee, told the department chairpersons within the College of Arts and Sciences last week, “We are all very excited; the momentum is building for exciting changes.”

General Education at Ship Gets a Make-Over

University Core Program. “We believe this title emphasizes the crucial and central importance of the general education curriculum as a key component of a

quality university education.” --Dr. Winston Crawley, faculty co-chair of the GECC

Message l From Dean MikeWithout question, the educational experiences provided

to the students enrolled at Shippensburg University are on-par with the best available anywhere. The College of Arts and Sciences plays a central and vital role in the delivery of those experiences. We are deeply engaged with our own students and deliver many quality programs across our diverse departments, which is a key component of our mission within the University. We are, however, also deeply involved in the education of all of the students enrolled at the University through the General Education program and through the delivery of cognate and support courses for students majoring in other Colleges.

The faculty of the College embrace their role in the lives of our students and engage in an important process to maintain educational excellence – assessment and self-evaluation. We ensure that the experiences we provide for our students are relevant and meaningful. An important component of delivering educational excellence is certainly the classroom experience, and we encourage students to participate actively. Another important component is delivered through out-of-classroom experiences, where faculty and students engage in experiences that not only enhance classroom learning, but also contribute to the lives of students in unique ways.

Teaching has many faces, and the traditional view of the faculty member lecturing in the classroom represents only a single aspect of a complex process. In actuality, the work-life of a faculty member falls into three broad categories – teaching, scholarship, and service. Teaching relates to the ways that faculty members engage students in the more traditional modes that we’ve become accustomed to – the classroom, laboratory, and studio. Scholarship relates to the engagement of faculty in the scholarly activities of their discipline – research, writing, performance, publication, and so forth. Service refers to the engagement of faculty in service activities that support the shared-governance of the University, but also their engagement in the community as a whole.

While the categories within which faculty members work can be neatly defined, it is often not appreciated that these categories are intimately interrelated and entwined, especially here in the College of Arts and Sciences at Shippensburg University. Our faculty members strive to combine these seemingly unrelated roles into a related whole and to become what is often termed a “teacher-scholar.” Faculty members are experts in their respective content areas, and they teach classes relative to their expertise. In addition, these same faculty members engage in scholarly and service activities that are directly related to their area of expertise. That is, faculty members integrate teaching, scholarship, and service into a whole engaged educational experience that they bring to our students.

When faculty members are in the classroom, performing the scholarly work of their disciplines, and providing service to Shippensburg University and their local communities, they constantly look for ways to bring those experiences back to their students to enhance and enrich their learning. Because they are teacher-scholars, faculty members are also working hand-in-hand with their students in all three aspects of their work. That means when faculty members engage in scholarly and service activities, our students also engage in those activities. In that manner, faculty members begin the work of delivering high-impact learning strategies such as undergraduate research, service-learning, establishment of learning-communities, first-year experiences, and collaborative and team learning experiences. These are only a few examples, and certainly there are many more.

At Shippensburg University, our entire faculty constantly strives to bring their best to our students. In the College of Arts and Sciences, faculty members involve students in on-going scholarly and service activities such as are highlighted on these pages. In order to maintain the educational excellence towards which we endeavor, it is vital that we recognize the broad nature of teaching and learning, the integrated nature of teaching with both scholarly activity and service, and how in the end it enhances the student educational experience. Through the stories shared in this newsletter I hope you will begin to appreciate the role faculty play in delivering these experiences.

James H. Mike, Ph.D. Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

CAS NEWS • FALL 2010 • 3

october..............................................

21 8:00 PM Bill Engvall, Luhrs Center22-23 Campus-wide Shippensburg University Homecomming: See alumni webpagefor details31 7:00 PM Spamalot, Luhrs Center

november....................................

3, 4, 5, 6 8:00 PM Expecting Isabel, Memorial Auditorium4 8:00 PM An Evening with Amy Grant, Luhrs Center11 8:00 PM The Punch Brothers Featuring Chris Thile, Luhrs Center17 8:00 PM The Doobie Brothers, Luhrs Center

december...................................

1 7:00 PM Contesting Gettysburg: Preserving an American Battlefield Shrine Brian Black - Environmental Historian, Memorial Auditorium

2 8:00 PM Jim Brickman’s 15th Anniversary Holiday Concert, Luhrs Center 7, 8, 9 7:30 PM Christmas in the Dibert, Dibert Planetarium 12 7:00 PM Empire Brass presents the Sound of Christmas featuring Elizabeth von Trapp, Luhrs Center19 7:00 PM Irish Tenors Reunion Christmas, Luhrs Center

CAS l Calendar

4 • CAS NEWS • FALL 2010

For the past 30 years, since its establishment in 1980, the Shippensburg University Fashion Archives Museum (SUFAM) has preserved and exhibited its collection of clothing and accessories while making these materials available for teaching and research purposes to persons and groups both on- and off-campus. Because of a grant received last year from the Richmond Foundation to aid the current exhibit, 19th Century Costume Treasures: Evolution of Fashion from 1800 – 1900, SUFAM could purchase new hand-carved and custom-padded mannequins to fit each individual item of the exhibit.

Since beginning her role as director in June 2007, Dr. Karin Bohleke has created and witnessed many positive changes with SUFAM.

“This has never been done before at this museum,” says Dr. Bohleke.

In the past, SUFAM used old, discarded mannequins from stores, which did not work well because Victorian body shapes differ from modern body shapes. In the Victorian era, women wore corsets to create smaller waists and restricted their movements, which oftentimes caused muscular dystrophy in their backs and shoulders.

Also possible because of the Richmond Foundation grant, SUFAM hosted a week of free conservation workshops for local historical societies and museums in fall 2009. Dr. Bohleke estimates that there were at least 45 participants, who came from as far as Virginia.

Another major improvement made possible with support from the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Bohleke has facilitated the use of professional museum software called PastPerfect that most museums use worldwide. SUFAM uses the software to catalogue its approximately 15,000 item collection. Only a small percentage or roughly 2,000 items are catalogued so far.

For her class, Katie Kitner, a junior history major, had to choose a project relating to archive techniques and principles, so she and classmate Traci Manning chose to archive the SUFAM photo collection. “The photos were just thrown in boxes,” Kitner says. She and Manning sorted the photos, gave them numbers, put them in acid free folders, photographed each photo to preserve it digitally, and added it to the archives database. They used this information to create a master list of the photos.

“There were way too many photos to do in the amount of time we had to do it,” Kitner says. So they chose just one collection from one donor for their class project. But Kitner became so absorbed with her project, and with SUFAM in general, that even after the completion of her class, she continues to archive photos from other collections and volunteers regularly at SUFAM to take on other museum and archival duties.

In the past, Katie never considered fashion as a research possibility, but now, she says, “it’s my new favorite topic.” She continues, “I want to be a museum curator. A curator needs to know how to work with many different items and preserve them, including photos.”

“We have something very special here,” Dr. Bohleke says. It is that something special that entices students like Kitner and other volunteers to continue to help at SUFAM.

Interns and other volunteers from the university and community help with cataloguing every day, Monday through Thursday. They also help with daily operations, exhibit planning, dressing, conservation, and collection development. Some student-interns continue to volunteer past their internship dates because the work they do completely engrosses them.

Many people do not realize how much work goes into developing and maintaining

a collection. “It’s not just about dressing mannequins,” says Dr. Bohleke.

Each piece in an exhibit has its own story, which includes the history of the garment as well as the garment’s restoration and conservation. For example, there is one dress in the collection that required four people to reconstruct it, a process that took several months to complete because of the research phase of the reconstruction. Dr. Bohleke found another dress that had been altered to fit a nine-month pregnant woman.

A white dress in the current collection arrived at the museum with a dirty brown color and several holes. By using archival wet-cleaning, Dr. Bohleke was able to restore the garment to its original color. She also used archival netting, thread thinner than a human a hair, to repair the holes and tears. These methods of restoration prolong the lives of the garments.

A major challenge for the further growth of museum is the location. The museum is currently in the basement of Harley Hall, a student residence building. Often in the summer it becomes extremely hot, which really takes a toll on the clothing. Dr. Bohleke’s greatest hope for SUFAM is that it can be moved to a location above ground in a climate controlled facility, preferably with a bathroom and handicap access, all of which the current location lacks.

Dr. Bohleke, in conjunction with the SUFAM Board of Directors and other volunteers, are working on a project to generate a substantial endowment fund in cooperation with the Shippensburg University Foundation.

For more information or to learn how you

can support SUFAM, visit the Web site at http://webspace.ship.edu/fasharch

FAMFashion Archives Museum Celebrates 30 year Anniversary

“We have something ver y special here.” Dr. Karin Bohleke

During one of his internship shifts at the Franklin County Jail, Kevin Tindle, a senior psychology major at Shippensburg University, prepares to give a risk-assessment test to an inmate. He reads the inmate’s record, which includes different violations from thefts to robberies, and more violent crimes.

“I see these guys’ charges and I want to keep my distance,” says Tindle. “But I have to put my own stereotypes and nerves to rest. I get a feel for their stories and I want to try to understand.”

Last spring, three times per week, from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tindle interned at the Franklin County Jail. He chose this internship because he wants to study law in the future and hopes the experience will give him an advantage in a law career.

As an intern, Tindle performed four different kinds of risk-assessment tests with the inmates at Franklin County Jail.

They included mental health screening, TCU drug screens to check substance use over the past 12 months, a test for probation parole violators to understand their reasons for violating parole, and a test for the risk of FTA (failure to appear) to learn if bail should be set for the inmate and, if so, at what amount they should set it.

Among the many lessons he has learned so far this semester, Tindle has learned not to judge people and to be more understanding.

“You hear about robbery and murder on TV and think [the inmates] are animals,” says Tindle. “Working with them and hearing their stories shows you they’re not. There are reasons behind what people do. That doesn’t make it right, but there are reasons.”

Tindle’s internship gave him the opportunity to see different entities in the

justice system to learn how they all work. He hopes the skills he learned will help him become a stronger candidate for a law degree, which he wants to pursue after graduation from Ship.

“I went into psychology to help people, and make a good living, too,” says Tindle. He believes degrees in law and psychology will work well together.

“Employers don’t want you to be good at just one thing,” explains Tindle. “Get more experience, look beyond your educational field. Don’t settle.”

Internship Spotlight

“You can’t wait for opportunities. You must create them,” says Lacey Reapsome, a Shippensburg University 2010 graduate who majored in political

science with a minor in international studies. Reapsome is a pro at creating and taking advantage of opportunities to move her towards her career goals. She always thought she wanted a career with the federal government or a governmental position overseas, and when she had the opportunity to intern with the Pennsylvania state government, she jumped at the chance. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) sponsors semester-long internships for outstanding students. Each semester, one student from each of the 14 PASSHE universities is selected to participate

in The Harrisburg Internship Semester (THIS). According to the PASSHE Web site, THIS “places these selected students in working relationships with policymakers in the executive and legislative branches of Pennsylvania government, as well as with independent boards, agencies, and commissions.” Students work full-time and earn a semester’s worth of credits. In the fall 2009, THIS selected Reapsome as the Shippensburg University representative. “It made me think a lot,” says Reapsome about her internship. “I gained a whole new perspective and I learned something new every single day about our state government.” Reapsome’s designated area of state government for the semester was in the governor’s budget office, where she worked closely with her sponsor Mary Soderberg, the Secretary of the Budget. Some of her internship duties included writing concise analyses of the legislation being written, understanding the problems behind the legislation, and discussing the legislation with other areas of the government. She met and

worked with Governor Rendell’s Chief of Staff and other secretaries. Reapsome also got to draft a portion of the new gaming bill that was passed in January. “I’m blown away by how much you can affect people’s lives,” says Reapsome about working for the government. “Decisions made by the government affect you, they affect everybody, but I don’t know if many people think about that.” On her own time, Reapsome tried to meet as many government officials as she could. “I made all kinds of connections,” she said. “You can’t just meet one person and expect to get a job.” Reapsome’s networking paid off. Several weeks before she graduated last May, Lacey had already secured an accounts management position with Clark Resources, a government relations firm. “I went out of my way to make the most of opportunities,” Reapsome says. These opportunities are not always easy and they can pull you out of your comfort zone, she says, but it’s worth it.

Shippensburg University has a long history of providing internships for students and employers which increase and strengthen the relationship between the university and the community.

Please visit http://www.ship.edu/cas/internship/ for more information.

CAS NEWS • FALL 2010 • 5

KEVIN TRINDLE

LACEY REAPSOME

Knowing that she wanted to pursue a career in pharmacy, Andrea Pugh left Shippensburg University after two years of study to attend the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy where many of her colleagues already held master’s degrees and PhDs. She felt so confident in the educational foundation she received at Shippensburg that she says, “I felt better prepared in the liberal arts than the other students and equally prepared in the sciences.”

Twenty years ago, Andrea started her own business and serves as president for her company PharmCare Consultants, LLC where she is a private consultant for long-term care and assisted-living communities. She reviews medication lists, checks reactions to medications, adjusts doses of medication, and educates the nursing staff at these facilities. She guest lectures in LPN classes about preventing medication errors.

Even today, Andrea appreciates the opportunities she had at Shippensburg and the deans and professors who helped make her transition from Shippensburg to professional school as seamless as possible. Chemistry professor Mr. Roy Mouer, for example, encouraged her aspirations to become a pharmacist and inspired her to pursue her goals.

When Andrea started taking classes at Shippensburg in 1970, the Franklin Science Center had just been built and offered the most modern equipment and facilities, which, at the time, stood in stark contrast to the older laboratory facilities at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. Because she experienced first-hand how the differences in technology can advance or hold back education, Andrea has been very involved with building the Kresge Science Endowment at Shippensburg, which supports the technological needs

of the science departments.Andrea’s work with the Kresge

Science Endowment is one reason she enjoys working on Shippensburg’s College of Arts and Sciences advisory board. “The Kresge fund is my corner,” she says, “that’s what I’m most involved with.”

In addition to serving on the CAS advisory board for almost four years, Andrea has also served on the SU Foundation board of directors for the past six years.

“It’s important to give back,” says Andrea, “to make sure the same opportunities are in place for future students.” Andrea also notes that Shippensburg University has a great impact on the surrounding community economically and culturally. “Ship’s influence extends far beyond the student body,” Andrea says, which is another reason it is important to give back to the university.

Advisory Board l Profile Andrea Pugh

6 • CAS NEWS • FALL 2010

The Microsoft Surface unit is like a giant iPad. It is a mouse-less, keyboard-less computer about the size, shape and height of a coffee table with an interactive touch-screen surface. Microsoft’s Web site describes it as “a revolutionary multi-touch computer that responds to natural hand gestures and real-world objects, helping people interact with digital content in a simple and intuitive way. Surface offers a unique gathering place where multiple users can collaboratively and simultaneously interact with data and each other.”

Last spring, several of these units were on loan at Shippensburg University and available in multiple locations on campus, including the lobby of the Lehman Library for students, faculty, staff, and guests to take a look, and more importantly, to touch.

Tom Burke, a communications graduate student, had the opportunity to use the MS Surface unit when his Advanced Communications Problems class took a field trip to the library. Burke frequents a lot of technology Web sites and had already heard about MS Surface before it came to the University. He said he was surprised that something like the MS Surface unit found its way

to a small town like Shippensburg.So just how did this unique opportunity come

to Ship? Through the Emerging Technologies Committee at Shippensburg University, an alumnus of Ship helped to connect the committee with a company called Teknikos Inc., a technology firm that specializes in design and development of cross platform, multi-touch, applications. Teknikos provided Shippensburg University with three units, including one for public use, and two additional units for instructional use.

According to co-chair Dr. Dennis Mathes, this committee “is committed to looking at technology, both old and new, which will enhance the academic and administrative functions of the campus.” Some technologies they have examined in the past have included iPods, Wiis, Google Docs, and so many more. Most recently, the Emerging Technologies

Committee has been looking at what Dr. Mathes calls “next generation user input devices” such as iPhones, iPod Touches, iPads, Project Natal/IR cameras and the MS Surface unit.

So how does this device work? The Microsoft Web site says, “The

sophisticated camera system of Surface sees what is touching it and recognizes fingers, hands, paintbrushes, tagged objects and a myriad of other real-world items. It allows you to grab digital information and interact with the content through touch and gesture.” It can simultaneously recognize multiple points-of-contact, 52 to be exact, which

allows for multiple users to collaborate. Burke says he can “see a lot of potential”

with MS Surface, but also points out the unit’s drawbacks, including its size. Its lack of portability is a drawback for him. “Portability is the way of the future but the interface is intuitive,” said Burke. “We’ve definitely moved way past the keyboard/mouse stage.”

M I C R O S O F T S U R F A C E

Emerging Technologies

Giving Today for TomorrowWith every ending there can be many new beginnings. Just a few weeks ago the Shippensburg University campus came alive again with the start of the fall semester. Both first-time and returning students will have many opportunities to get involved in learning experiences beyond the classroom setting. Activities such as joint undergraduate student/faculty research, service learning, and internships enhance the individual educational experience for students. For many students, these experiences will increase their likelihood for success in years to come. Your gifts to the SU Foundation provide the margin of excellence at Shippensburg. Last fiscal year, support to the College of Arts and Sciences Associates Fund helped bring three

consultants from the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) to Shippensburg University to evaluate the undergraduate research program on campus. Their findings will have a lasting impact on the research activities happening across campus, and on students like undergraduate history/philosophy major Anthony Comegna, who was able to travel to the Ludwig von Mises Institute at the University of Alabama to further his research because of support to the Associates Fund. Your charitable support of the College of Arts and Sciences Associates Fund helps bring the College to greater heights through the ability and efforts of the faculty and students. Students like Elisabeth Davis, a junior history major with a french minor, who received support to travel to the 24th National CUR conference in Montana to present her research paper, which focused on the occupation of the British Channel Islands by the Nazis during World War II. Opportunities like these

enhance both the student experience and bring the College to the forefront of academic achievement. Often times the difference between an average education and one of excellence is private support. With your help, these experiences are just the beginning of a brighter future for the leaders of tomorrow. As the calendar year draws to a close, we thank you for the gifts you’ve already given and hope that you will remember the Shippensburg University Foundation in your charitable contributions in the future. To make a gift or to learn more about how you can make a difference in the lives of students at Shippensburg University, visit the www.sufoundation.org or call the SU Foundation at 717-477-1377.

S H I P P E N S B U R G U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D A T I O N

Received a promotion or a new degree? Recently published or started a new business venture? We know that by sharing the success stories of alumni and friends of the College of Arts and Sciences current students are inspired to achieve their goals. So help us spread the good news about what you are doing and let us know about your professional

achievements by sending an email to cas@sufoundation.org. Please include your name, graduation year, contact information (phone or email address), and a few lines about your achievement. This is a great opportunity for you to highlight the successes you’ve had to other Ship grads and friends while inspiring others to also lead the way!

Alumni l Professional Achievements

nurturingexcellence

Nurturing Excellencewww.sufoundation.org

CAS NEWS • FALL 2010 • 7

CAS l Seen & Heard

CALL FOR PHOTOS: Have you been back to campus for a CAS event? Had a CAS alumni gathering in your area? Send your photos to cas@sufoundation.org along with a caption for possible publication in the next CAS newsletter.

CAS Advisory Board member Tracy Boak (’86) and CAS grad Jane Owens (’82-‘84M) at the alumni gathering at

Troeg’s Brewing Company.

Richard Pizzaro ’88 joined the Entrepreneurship Leadership Center (ELC) for their first Brown Bag Luncheon. Rich shared with students, staff, and faculty the five key points he has learned through being an entrepreneur, which can be found on the ELC blog. But, more than that, he shared how he continuously recognizes opportunities to apply technology to everyday tasks and activities. Rich is a graduate of the Computer Science department and a member of the Shippensburg University Foundation Board of Directors. He is the Chief Technology Officer of GyPSii/GeoSolutions, a global provider of mobile location-based social networking products including a full web-based application and an array of mobile clients.

“Be passionate about what you do because essentially you are selling your dreams.

Do what you love.” - Richard Pizzaro ’88

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COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES

Contact the Foundation:For more information on how you can support the students, faculty, and programs of the College of Arts and Sciences and Shippensburg University, please contact us at 717-477-1377 or visit us at our website at www.sufoundation.orgThe SU Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that seeks financial resources and provides services to support and enhance the mission of Shippensburg University.

This publication is brought to you by the Shippensburg University Foundation in partnership the College of Arts and Sciences at Shippensburg University. Contributing writer: Anne Greenawalt, College of Arts and Sciences graduate assistant.

Contact the Dean:Dr. James H. MikePhone: (717) 477-1151jhmike@ship.edu Dauphin 225 FAX: (717) 477-4026cas@ship.edu

Art & Design ■ Biology ■ Chemistry ■ Communications / Journalism ■ Computer Science ■ Economics ■ English ■ Ethnic Studies ■ Geography/Earth Science ■ History / Philosophy ■ Human Communication Studies ■ Interdisciplinary Arts ■ International Studies ■ Mathematics ■ Modern Languages

Music and Theater Arts ■ Physics ■ Political Science ■ Psychology ■ Sociology / Anthropology ■ Technical/Professional Communication ■ Women’s Studies

8 • CAS NEWS • FALL 2010

CAS l Advisory Board

Mr. David Atkinson Ms. Tracy BoakDr. Jack Brenizer, Jr. Ms. Denise CalabreseMr. Brian DemnickiMr. Paul Dlugolecki Mrs. Cynthia Dlugolecki Mr. Nathan Douty Mr. Nelson Fernandez Mr. Evan ForresterMrs. Kathy Graul Dr. Gary GroveMrs. Mary GroveMr. F. Gene HeadleyMr. Jack Heberlig Mr. Thomas JacksonDr. Hugh Jones

Mr. John KnutelskyMr. Gary Kraybill Mrs. Debra LivingstonMr. Mathern Mellott Mr. Thomas O’Shea Ms. Christine Picklo Mr. Mark Platts Ms. Andrea Pugh, R.Ph.Mr. Kenneth ReisingerDr. Thomas SchroederMr. Michael SchultzMrs. Renee SigelDr. John Simms Mr. Charles Sioberg Mr. Timothy Smith Dr. Roy Snoke Mr. David Weisgerber

The College of Arts & Sciences Advisory Board is comprised of alumni, friends of Shippensburg University, and faculty emeriti of the College. The purpose of this advisory board is to share their professional and personal perspective on matters relating to academic philosophy and practice, internships and cooperative learning opportunities, professional development for faculty, to provide financial assistance, and become involved in the curricular and extracurricular programs of the College. With thanks, we recognize the current members of the Board:

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Joint Undergraduate Student/Faculty Research ProgramSU Shows Dedication to Undergraduate Research at the Celebration of Student Research Conference

The Ceddia Union Building (CUB) at Shippensburg University was alive with the sounds of research from on Tuesday, April 20, 2010. The Celebration of Student Research Conference brought more than 500 students, faculty, staff and administrators, as well as alumni and other friends of the University, together to celebrate student research.

Students from all different disciplines within the university filled the CUB multi-purpose room with poster presentations, representing their semester- or year-long research projects. Oral presentations and panel discussions were held in other rooms in the CUB, making the day more akin to a true professional conference experience.

“It definitely exceeded our expectations,” said Dr. Curt Zaleski, Shippensburg University chemistry professor and interim co-chair of the 2010 conference. “We hoped this would happen,” said Dr. Zaleski about the packed poster-presentation room and the nice cross-over between multiple university disciplines.

Dr. Allen Dieterich-Ward, history professor at Shippensburg University and the other interim co-chair of the conference, said, “The conference generated good will across the campus.”

Dr. John Cavanaugh, chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education; Mr. John Clinton, president and CEO of the Shippensburg University Foundation; Dr. William Ruud, president of Shippensburg University; and several other university benefactors and alumni mingled amongst the Shippensburg students and faculty at the conference.

Celebration of Student Research

Continued--

“I was talking with a student after class and he was raving about what a wonderful time he had at the conference. He was particularly impressed with the way his fellow students presented themselves. It was very inspiring to see his classmates presenting their research in a professional manner like the experts they had become in their particular areas of study.” – Dr. Steven Burg, Professor of History

“The conference was a great success. It really put students in the driver’s seat. They became the experts. The conference really proved that if you set a high bar, students will rise to meet the challenge.” – Dr. Brendan Finucane, Department Chair and Professor of Economics

“Thank you so much for all of the help that you gave me for my Research Day presentation. The Research Day was a really great experience and I could not have done it without your help, especially when we met so I could practice my delivery. That really helped and you provided so many suggestions and tips that I am going to take with me beyond the Research Day presentation.” – Sarah Montanari, presented during the History Department session

“This was a wonderful event. You all have a really dynamic [program].” – senior Noah Frazier’s father

Comments from faculty, students and parents received

by Dr. Dieterich-Ward

Having students showcase their work in front of the university community made students take the conference even more seriously than they would have for an in-house presentation, commented Dr. Zaleski. The students’ professional appearance impressed both him and Dr. Dieterich-Ward.

Kayla Reed, a sophomore from Dr. Dieterich-Ward’s Recent US History class, presented a poster about media during the Vietnam War with classmate Destinee Koons.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said Reed about the conference. “It’s been a great experience. I’ve never been to something like this. Our research project really supplemented our class work and made it more interesting,”

Seniors Michael Edwards and Jackie Tuccio from Dr. Richard Knight’s senior seminar class in human communications each presented their own research projects via a poster presentation.

Edwards chose his topic, “Examining Defensive Discourse in Baseball: A Comparison Analysis of Mark McGwire and

Pete Rose,” because he has a strong interest in sports ethics and this is one topic in sports that “can’t be avoided,” he said.

Before the conference, Dr. Knight didn’t think many students knew what to expect, but they soon realized the value of their research and sharing project results with others. “Every reaction has been positive,” Dr. Knight said of his students.

Tuccio presented her project entitled “Breadth and Depth of Self-Disclosure in College Students’ Intimate Relationships.”

She described her research process, which included conducting interviews, transcribing, coding, and then analyzing the interviews she conducted with college students in the hope of comparing self-disclosure between genders.

Tuccio enjoyed the opportunity to get a hands-on look at research. “It took me a long time,” she explained, “but I’m glad I did this. It’s one thing to read a literature review. But I gained a whole new perspective by doing my own project.”

In his senior seminar class, Dr. Knight says he teaches a lot of theory, but the

research projects allow students to actively pursue theory. “It makes it more meaningful,” he said. “They learn to apply it to everyday life.” Developing analytical skills through the research process will benefit students regardless of which career field they pursue.

Advising student research projects has been beneficial for Dr. Knight as well for to his students. “Sometimes they integrate theory I’m not as familiar with, so I’m learning right along with them,” he says. “It’s wonderful that the university dedicates resources to undergraduate research.”

Both interim co-chairs of the conference agree that the conference’s success resulted from the commitment of a large portion of the Shippensburg University community. They give a special thanks to the help and resources from the Institute for Public Service Office and the Shippensburg University Foundation.

“Since the conference, we’ve gotten so much positive feedback,” says Dr. Dieterich-Ward. “Everyone was impressed with the turn-out and sophistication.”

Nurturing Excellence

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Celebration of Student Research

To make a gift to support the Joint Undergraduate Student/Faculty Research Program, please contact the Shippensburg University Foundation.